This year, Chinese consumers snapped up everything from food to electronics and beauty products as retailers slashed prices for the world's largest online shopping bonanza, closely watched this year for clues on post-pandemic consumer sentiment. 

The marathon spending spree – Singles’ Day – has for more than a decade seen China's army of shoppers shell out colossal amounts of cash that has dwarfed the incomes of many small nations.

And this year was no exception. By November 10, Alibaba platforms had already processed $56.5 billion in sales, more than the GDP of Iceland, Lebanon and Georgia combined.

Leading China retailers such as Alibaba, JD.com, and Pinduoduo compete aggressively for Singles’ Day, which far outstrips the pre-Christmas Black Friday promotion in the United States.

This year's shopping was closely followed around the world as a guide to the state of China's crucial consumer sector, which is increasingly more important to the future of the world's biggest economy. 

As the country emerges from the effects of the virus and tight lockdowns, the recovery in retail sales has lagged that seen in industrial sectors, but is gaining pace, analysts said.

Singles’ Day originally focused on sales of certain items like beauty products and electronics, said Melanie Sanders, Asia-Pacific head of retail for consultancy Bain & Company. 

But e-commerce in China has expanded to include just about anything a consumer might purchase, including groceries, as digitally savvy Chinese opt for the convenience of online shopping.

The pandemic, which has made many Chinese wary of crowds, is furthering this trend, she said.

"Retail in China is largely getting back now to last year’s levels," Sanders said. 
Conceived in 2009 by Alibaba as an antidote to Valentine's Day, the event falls on the eleventh day of the eleventh month and was meant to be an occasion for individuals to treat themselves to something new.

But it has expanded to encompass much of China's entire retail sector, including traditional bricks-and-mortar stores, which also offer Singles’ Day promotions.  
Alibaba hypes its version of the promotion with a gala in Shanghai the night before, featuring a musical superstar guest – US singer Katy Perry was this year's main event, but her show was broadcast virtually.